EF1 tornado in Etowah County, Alabama

National Weather Service meteorologists surveyed damage in Etowah County near Attalla and determined that it was consistent with an EF1 tornado, with maximum winds near 95 mph.

A tornado touched down southwest of the City of Attalla, generally in a wooded area near Lemon Hollow Road. Damage from this tornado mostly involved softwood trees that were snapped or uprooted while crossing Miller Hollow Road a few times until the tornado approached Highway 77. Here, dozens of trees were snapped or uprooted, as well as minor structural damage to a farm building and a power substation north of Gray Creek Drive. The tornado crossed Highway 77 near Clear Creek and Little Sand Valley where further tree damage was observed. It then crossed US Highway 431 and tracked along the ridgetop along Simmons Lane where trees were snapped and uprooted. Farther northeast, a residence sustained minor roof and porch damage as the circulation center passed overhead, which was evident by convergent fallen trees and debris on the property. The tornado continued northeast where additional tree damage was observed and then dissipated near Wesson Gap Road.

An upper-level low over the southwest United States evolved into a negatively-tilted shortwave trough as it moved over the southeastern United States. A warm front steadily moved northward during the morning and afternoon hours on Sunday, April 12. This allowed an unstable air mass to move northward and overspread much of the region. At the same time, very strong wind shear developed over Alabama as the upper trough neared the state.

An initial wave of severe storms affected areas near and north of Interstate 20, involving tornadoes, damaging straight-line winds, and some hail. Through the evening, a second wave of thunderstorms affected the remaining areas of Central Alabama with tornadoes and damaging straight-line winds. Flooding also resulted from training rainfall near and north of Interstate 20. Some roads became impassible or were washed out. This weather event was large in scope and produced severe weather from Oklahoma and Texas, through the southeastern United States, then up the east coast to New York.